My Sweet Sacrifice
by kitti-takes-a-nap
Summary: edited... The sands of time is running out. The end is near but no one knows how it will end. The decisions of one will affect many. The destiny of one will be the death of another. Who will shine when darkness clouds the future? For one mortal, this was.


My Sweet Sacrifice by kittitakesanap

Summary: The sands of time is running out. The end is near but no one knows how it will end. The decisions of one will affect many. The destiny of one will be the death of another. Who will shine when the darkness clouds the future? For one mortal, this will be the reality they will have to face. Just hope that one immortal's means to an end will not come to pass.

Translations:

Miko: priestess

Ookami: wolf

Taijiya: demon slayer

Inu: dog

Hanyou: demon half breed

Kuso: danm

Bakuryuha: backlash wave

Youki: demonic energy

neko-mata: fire cat

houshi: monk

reiki: holy powers

temee: insulting way of saying 'you'

It would have been a beautiful night. The full moon was on the horizon and the skies were clear. The moonlight illuminates the lush forest below but none would appreciate it this night. A battle cry rang out in the clearing as the warrior's incredible blade blast through the hoards of demons. An evil laugh echoes through the dark woods and taunts those who would oppose him.

It had been five years since the time traveler fell down a magical well that transported her 500 years past. She had since grown up from her high school days and turned into albeit, a reluctant priestess fighting an evil well beyond her years. She had learned to live her double life well enough to finish her studies and find time to hone her powers. With constant battles in the past, it wasn't hard for her to realize that proper training was a necessity. Now she shoots her arrow confidently destroying every bit of oni that come at her way.

The taijiya and the monk fight side-by-side destroying as many demons as they can but it was endless. The only comfort they take in was that the fox cub and bubbly little girl had been sent away with the neko-mata and the impish little toad as bodyguards. Only the younger of the taijiya sibling remained with the group. Trying so valiantly to atone for his deeds when he was under the control of their nemesis.

Nobody could blame Kohaku for what he has done at the night when Sango's family was murdered by the one they least expected. Even with Sango's insistance that he should not feel guilty, his emotional scars are so deep that only the silence of death could erase it.

There is only so much that the mortal heart could bear. Sango could only take comfort in her dear houshi's arms whenever she remembers that fateful night which led her to this long journey.

Naraku's plot for destruction has come at its pinnacle as he watches from above observing his plans come to fruition. The shards of the Shikon no Tama had all been gathered at this spot. Two shards embedded in the ookami's legs and a shard behind a boys back were the one's left besides the two chunks held by himself and the priestess.

"This is it," the miko said. 'I can feel it. The shards are all here. This will be the night the jewel will be whole again,' she thought. But something was a miss. As she dodges an attack from her left, she notices that an attack was directed towards her inu hanyou friend.

"Inuyasha lookout!"

Inuyasha dove forward in time to avoid being impaled straight through his chest. 'Kuso, that was close'. He looked on briefly on the battle field and see how his companions are fairing. He knows it's too early into the fight to see where this battle is heading but he knows that this fight will be the fight of his life. He can feel it in his bones and his instincts are on high alert. He used his powerful sword to blast out the now thinning line of mass of demons threatening to swallow them whole. He spun to his right when he hears a malevolent laugh as the villain himself finally chose to make his appearance.

A cloud of venomous mist gathers at the forefront signaling the arrival of the one who orchestrated this elaborate fatal battle. "Kukukuku… My, oh my. What do we have here? It seems that all the players are here and the game has been set. After tonight the jewel will be mine". Naraku sneered in disgust as he observes the struggles of the so-called warriors out for vengeance.

"Naraku you bastard! You finally decided to show yourself you coward. Now die, Tessaiga!" Inuyasha spung forward and takes a headlong attack. Naraku easily dodged the oncoming swipe of Tessaiga and erected a barrier to protect himself from its devastating power.

"Kukuku… You call that an attack. You should have learned Inuyasha such attacks are futile. The jewel will be mine and this struggle is for not. You are weak compared to me". Naraku mocked his opponent as he continually sends out his dangerous protrusions trying to impale flesh upon its grotesque spikes.

"Shut up! Keh, I'll show you who's weak you freak! Bakuryuha!" Inuyasha tried to retaliate by sending his backlash wave against Naraku but like before, Naraku erected his barrier once more and sent the wave of spinning youki back. Inuyasha dodged the fallout but as an aftermath it bounced towards his allies. He swung back and noticed that all but one was still in direct path of the wave.

"Kagome! Watch out!"

Kagome turns around and finds herself face to face with the swirling mass of youki. There was no time to move so she tried to shield herself with her hands and closed her eyes. She realized that this was not going to work but what else is she supposed to do. This is not how she envisioned herself in death's row.

She was so absorbed with her own deathly thoughts that she didn't realize the blast did not get to her. In fact, she realized that her hands were not the only ones shielding her but also a muscled chest attached to a body. She opened her eyes and saw amber pools directed solely at her.

"Hn. You should be more attentive miko. My time and patience would have been for not if you die now." The prince of the moon set the miko down and turned towards the vile hanyou. "Focus miko, remember your training". With that he rushed forward.

The miko stood there for a bit and the world started turning again and realized that Sesshoumaru finally joined the battle. She huffed and mumbled something about pompous demons and turned to her own battle.

She, now more than grateful that they accepted the unlikely alliance with Sesshoumaru's party, thanked her lucky stars. They were on the basis of an unstable alliance with the prince when he reluctantly realized that an alliance would benefit his search for the vile hanyou.

It was more surprising that he offered to train the priestess how to wield weapons and control her unruly reiki. With frequent visits from Sesshoumaru and his group, Kagome and Sesshoumaru had formed a friendship of sorts, one with one-word answers, indifference, much frustration, companiable silence, and perhaps a kind of understanding. She never really asked much questions. Well not as much as she would have liked but she realized that Sesshoumaru is well… Sesshoumaru and she learned how to respect that and gave the silent prince his space.

She, at some level, believed that Sesshoumaru gained understanding and respect for her and her friends, however slight, as they went through a grueling time of training. It was not an easy relationship. With Inuyasha's constant tirade towards his half-brother, the only thing she could do is to give Sesshoumaru an apologetic glance and a 'sit' command to Inuyasha.

But this only made the inu-hanyou more irate and felt somewhat betrayed by his so-called friend. Deep down he knew that this arrangement was for the best but that doesn't mean he had to like it one bit. And on Kagome's behalf she understood that at some level, Inuyasha is looking out for her. His concern endears himself to her but at such an annoying way that it's sometimes too much for the young priestess.

By now, the blood brothers are fighting the conglomerate body of demons merged into a man whose desperate obsession for the jewel drove him to insanity. His power heightened by the large chunk of the jewel that even the brothers are having a hard time making a solid hit. Anything they hack off grows back ten-fold and then some.

It seems endless but the reality was at some point this has to end. As if sensing their weariness, Kagome runs closer to the heart of the battlefield and called for Inuyasha.

The brothers turned to each other briefly and understood its meaning. They sped apart and positioned themselves on both sides of Naraku and gave Kagome the chance for a clear shot. Realizing her chance, Kagome charged her arrow and aimed waiting for the perfect time. Inuyasha created a diversion and with Naraku momentarily distracted, Kagoame took her shot.

'Please hit the mark!' she thought and fired her arrow. At the same time, Sesshoumaru launched his attack with Bakusaiga in tandem and interestingly enough both energies merged as yin and yang hurled towards the enemy.

With the momentary distraction, Naraku knew that an attack like this would happen. He was no fool. He erected his barrier to deflect the blast but with the miko's purifying energies, his barrier wavered enough to be blasted by Sesshoumarou's terrifying youki.

The on-lookers waited with baited breath for the resolution that they sought this day. As the dust cleared, only an ominous laugh was heard. "Kukuku… How pathetic. You think that will stop me. You cannot stop the power of the jewel. Once it is complete, I shall rule over this land and will have what is mine". The decrepit body of Naraku floats above their heads and suddenly glares towards the miko. "And if you will miko, I will take them now. You see that is all I need to complete it". He looks on with self-satisfaction.

And to her horror, Kagome slowly surveys her surroundings and faces the injustice of it all. The wolf prince howls in pain as the shards from his legs were violently ripped out by the wind witch Kagura. She did not look that much better than the prince but with Naraku in possession of her heart, she cannot deny him

Kagome turns towards her sister-in-arms, Sango as she laments the fall of her beloved brother as his soul was sucked into the void of Kanna's mirror and his shard taken by the hell wasps. And there lies beside her is the body of another. The monk strives to hold on, fighting the effects of drawing the poisonous insects into his own void. His cursed hand turning an ugly shade of purple and still he tries to comfort his beloved Sango.

"You see miko, why fight a loosing battle? Do you not see it? It is over". The vile hanyou said it with conviction and finality that it was hard not to believe him.

Tears started to form in her eyes but did not let them fall. She heard his words but for the sake of her sanity, she did not believe them. No, this is wrong. She would not stand for it. And with the conviction of her own and with, if not with more vigor and passion as his hatred, she pressed on.

"No, Naraku it is you who do not see. This will be your end".

The abomination sneered with such ferocity and malevolence at the priestess that he started to absorb the half jewel's power and merging with his own. Feeling the strength and the incredible euphoria that unbridled power can bring, Naraku started to stretch his dark youki outwards and try to smother his enemies.

Seeing the determination in the miko's eyes, Inuyasha yelled his battle cry and the battle resumed. But Inuyasha's attempt was thwarted with a hole in his chest. Although still not out for the count, his injuries are grave. With Sesshoumaru on the rebound, he fires a rapid barrage on the evil hanyou. Even still, the attacks were useless.

Naraku's power of regeneration and the Shikon's dark light might be the end of them. Realizing this, the Shikon no Miko searched her brain for a solution. Only the burning radiance of her sacred energies can eat away his evil essence. Kagome steeled her resolve. 'This has gone long enough. My friends are all I have now. I will not fail them'.

She looks on to the young prince with a wiry smile and sighed. 'Maybe next time' she supposed. 'Maybe next time I'll have a chance but not now'. She reached back for her arrows and started firing as much as she dared without endangering her allies. But with a swift blow to Sesshoumaru's side, Naraku was able to force his tentacles though the priestess' attacks and snared the now struggling miko in his clutches.

And for the second time now Inuyasha's desperate cry for the miko was heard. He struggled to stand and reach for his friend, no, more like a sister. She was his family, his pack. He cannot afford to loose her now with all the things they went through together. He will not fail her now when she needs him.

With a strangled cry, he tries to hack off as much bit of Naraku he can. His blood dripping from his wounds, that was the least of his concerns now. "Temee. Let go of her you bastard. Your fight is with me you fucker!" he goaded. Trying to re-direct Naraku's wrath to him.

Sesshoumaru on the other hand is having troubles of his own. He, like Inuyasha, is having trouble retrieving the miko. The blasted barrier would not budge. 'This will not do. At this rate the miko will get her untimely demise'. He looked on. A flash of concern shined through his eyes for a brief moment as he saw the miko seized her struggles. His eyes narrowed but did not say a thing as he fluidly dodges attacks. He sent another fury of attacks and finally managed to chink Naraku's armor. But at this point it is too late for the priestess.

Sesshoumaru felt her resignation to her fate and with it he felt hollow. An undesirable and unexpected feeling went through his frigid heart that he stuttered in his tracks.

Naraku smirks at the defeated priestess. "So you've finally accepted you fate. But tell me priestess, certainly you would not beg for you life now, would you? Although I wouldn't mind hearing you pitiful scream." He easily ripped through the girl's body and pried the remaining jewel shard and merged them with the ones in his possession

A brilliant dark light illuminated through his body signaling the final completion of the jewel. "Now that I have what I want. I have no use for you". He stated simply. And with his final words started to wrap his appendages around the trapped priestess tighter and tighter until no movement is felt. He looked on but what he saw was not what he expected.

The priestess clinging for dear breath shielded her eyes with the fringes of her hair. At this range, she thought, no escape is possible. She looked towards the sky and saw the moon. It was so bright that it almost gave her comfort.

'The moon, it's so much like him. It's so far but only with my mind's hands that I can reach it. Will he remember me?'

A sad smile touched her lips as blood dribble down her mouth. 'There is no point for this now'. She exhaled her remaining breath and with it came her powers.

A voice was heard.

"The time is now to reclaim which was shattered and broken. The shards of time has been torn and now mended. The light and the dark will bend and merge as one. The final battle has been won and the winner shall take all. For this I pray your final wish".

As if from nowhere but everywhere at the same time, her voice penetrated the minds of everyone present. To whom it was addressed, no one knew exactly. Their only hope was not for the worst.

An eerie light shadows the unmoving priestess. She moved her head and came face-to-face with the devil. Her hollow eyes shown white and the brilliance of it seemed jaded. Waiting for the end. As if in a trance, the vile hanyou starts to fully wrap himself around the priestess. The Shikon-no-Miko will be his and no one else. The reincarnation of the one he sought will be his. His wish is granted.

With an explosion of light, time stood still. Golden amber eyes looked impassively as the woman he sought his unlikely alliance with disappeared from his view. Unable to do anything else, he waited for the fallout.

Inside was darkness but the darkness itself has light. The bright burning rage of hate flowed through her body as the centuries old battle within the jewel flickers to an end.

An aura of malevolence consumes her whole and the burning fires of his obsession overwhelm her spirit. She embraced this feeling. With a heavy heart she accepted her fate. She understood the meaning of her prayer and with it the darkness of the light will bend and hear her final wish.

Within his body, she was free to search for the jewel she has sworn to protect. She reached out with her last vestiges of her power and will and called forth the beating pulse of power.

She hears his wicked laugh, his mocking proclamations, accusations, and deceitful lies trying to dampen her resolve. Only then he can use the true power of the jewel and finally tip the balance and win the war inside the jewel into his favor. But she did not hear any of it. All she thought was his almost smiles, his almost concerns and his almost gestures of kindness. She will not forget what she had fought for and what she stood for.

She will not let him down.

Not now.

Not ever.

She will end this.

She knew it and now she realized that he too knew this. His stealing glances towards her say as much but at that time she did not understand.

'If not for love, then whatever else?'

An explosion of light radiated out. No one was able to see but they were able to feel. First the endless pull of darkness but then the calm of the storm. An inexplicable calm escapes from the gentle healing waves of power and they too understood.

As the light dimmed out, they were able to see the silhouette of the victor. Unable to look away from the terrifying sight, they did not chance to hope. The fallen body of their savior bathed with its own pool of blood lies on the ground.

Kagome.

"Kagome!" They screamed trying to reach their fallen friend hoping against hope that they will be able to save their beloved before its too late. Inuyasha reached forward and cradled her broken body within his arms.

"Please, Kagome open your eyes. Don't leave me yet. Danm it Kagome you said you'll stay by my side! Don't tell me you lied!" The broken sobs of the inu hanyou was heard but no movement was made to ease his pain.

"You never lied to me Kagome. Now open you eyes, god damn it!"

One observer stayed on the sidelines but could not keep his eyes from showing regret. He gripped the hilt of his sword wishing for another.

"Oi, Sesshoumaru take Tensaiga back from Tessaiga and bring her back. Bring her back to me you bastard if you call yourself an almighty prick you can bring her back!"

"Iie."

"Please brother, I wont ask for anything else. I'd give ya whatever you want. Please… just bring her back".

"This is none of my concern. Her usefulness has passed. Our alliance is dissolved". With his final words, he spun around and took his leave. Pained wails of loss can be heard as he passed through the clearing. A gentle wind blew by and caressed his cheek. Even with the brightening clear day he can feel the raindrops falling from the sky and landing on his eyes. He closed his eyes with his final thought.

Gomen.

Sayonara.

Watashi no koishi.

(I'm sorry.

Goodbye.

My Beloved.)

Author's note: I hope you guys like it. I apologize for the inconsistencies and misspelled words. Please let me know so that I can fix it. I've been itching to write something like this but didn't have the guts for it. I realize that this plot line isn't very original but I hope you guys still liked it. I would really appreciate some creative criticism but some nice words will be good too :P If it's good enough then maybe I'll work on it more and make more chapters if not then i'll just crawl back to my hole and pretend this never happened... sigh... I can only hope

Ja ne,

kitti

I'd like to thank those who reviewed...

Why-is-buggie-takeN

Lady Tosha

sayuri-girl

your words have given me hope for this story to continue...


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